By Dean Lubowa Saava
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, today for a high-stakes summit with fellow Heads of State from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The meeting aims to tackle the escalating security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has displaced over 400,000 people in the city of Goma alone this year.
A joint meeting of the SADC and EAC Council of Ministers, held yesterday, set the stage for today’s summit. Co-chaired by Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Amon Murwira, and Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, the meeting emphasized the need for sustained political and diplomatic efforts to achieve peace in the region.
Despite previous initiatives, such as the Luanda and Nairobi processes, the security and humanitarian situation in the DRC has continued to deteriorate. The SADC Executive Secretary, Mr. Elias M. Magosi, praised the joint meeting as a crucial step in fostering cooperation between SADC and EAC member states.
Key Objectives of the Summit
– Explore collective strategies to address the DRC’s security concerns
– Offer diplomatic solutions and humanitarian assistance
– Foster cooperation between SADC and EAC member states
The summit follows an Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in Harare, Zimbabwe, on January 31, 2025, where leaders assessed the evolving situation in the DRC and called for a joint summit.
As regional leaders convene to address the DRC’s security crisis, the international community watches with bated breath, hoping for a lasting solution to the region’s escalating conflict.
